They initially launched a car show, Fiesta de los Autos Elegantes, in 1967 to raise money for local facilities.

Due to its success, it became an annual event, eventually prompting the creation of other collector car auctions in the Scottsdale area.

[1] Barrett-Jackson was formed by Tom Barrett and Russ Jackson,[2] who both moved to Scottsdale, Arizona in 1960,[3] after relocating from Illinois and Michigan respectively.

In 1967, they launched Fiesta de los Autos Elegantes,[6][4] a car show to raise money for Scottsdale facilities, including an art center and a library.

[11] Jackson's son, Craig, described his father and Barrett as opposites: "Tom was very colorful and an expert 'showman' and was the wheeler-dealer who went out and found cars around the world and brought them back to Arizona.

[3] Upon taking over the company, he disproved skeptics who questioned whether he could handle the business, introducing Internet bidding which further popularized the auctions.

[24] Peter W. Frey, writing for The New York Times in 1990, described Barrett-Jackson as "the Superbowl for collectible cars", stating that it attracts "the best vehicles" and "biggest buyers".

[26] Notable attendees and sellers have included Jerry Seinfeld, Reggie Jackson,[27] Tim Allen,[28] Don Johnson,[29] Jay Leno,[4] Nicolas Cage,[30] Phillip Maloof,[31] Criss Angel,[32][33] William Shatner,[34] and Larry Fitzgerald.

[41] Early on, the auctions showcased many pre-World War II vehicles,[8] but with generational changes, the focus gradually shifted to muscle cars.

[46][47][48] In 2020, a Rolls-Royce Phantom V that purportedly belonged to deceased evangelist Billy Graham was pulled from the auction lineup, after the authenticity of its ownership was questioned.

[48] Nine years earlier, Barrett-Jackson had auctioned a 1963 Pontiac Bonneville ambulance that purportedly was used to transport the body of U.S. president John F. Kennedy following his assassination.

[51] Automotive memorabilia, such as gas pumps and neon signage, is auctioned in addition to vehicles,[52][53][54] and is also offered for sale by vendors.

[4][55][56] Scottsdale mayor Herb Drinkwater later convinced Barrett-Jackson to return by having the city construct an events arena known as WestWorld,[7][57] where the auctions have continued to run annually since 1989.

[6] By 2001, Barrett-Jackson also hosted auctions for vintage race cars every other year in Monaco, coinciding with the Historic Grand Prix.

In 2021, the event switched to a June date and moved to the newly completed West Hall at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

[67][68][69] From 2010 through 2012, Barrett-Jackson hosted annual auctions at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, California.

Finding these facilities too small, Barrett-Jackson held the next two annual auctions entirely in a larger tent, transported from Scottsdale and set up on the fairgrounds' parking lot.

Nevertheless, Barrett-Jackson announced that it would not return to Costa Mesa for a fourth auction, stating that profits were lower than expected.

[74][75] Barrett-Jackson expanded to the northeastern U.S. for the first time in 2016, with an annual auction held each June at the Mohegan Sun resort in Uncasville, Connecticut.

[81] Barrett-Jackson typically features vehicles once owned by celebrities,[82][83] such as Howard Hughes, Debbie Reynolds, Lucille Ball,[29] Paul Walker,[84] and Simon Cowell.

[120] In 2004, Barrett-Jackson also partnered with Speed to produce a short-lived reality television series, Car Search, in which teams acquire and auction vehicles to benefit college charities.

[122][123] In 2015, broadcast rights to the events were acquired from Fox by Discovery Channel and Velocity (later Motor Trend), beginning with the Scottsdale auction that year.

Chris Jacobs of Overhaulin' and Ray Evernham of Velocity's AmeriCARna became the main on-air hosts, joined by Rick DeBruhl, Mike Joy, and Steve Magnante as analysts.

[124] In January 2020, Barrett-Jackson announced a new broadcasting agreement with A&E Networks, which would see coverage and related programming carried by History and FYI.

[4][130][131][132][133] Celebrities have also consigned their vehicles for charity, including singer Steven Tyler, racecar driver Dale Earnhardt Jr.,[134] actor Gary Sinise,[135] and drummer Travis Barker.

[136][137] Barrett-Jackson auctions have raised money to benefit other organizations as well,[13] including JDRF,[138][139] the American Heart Association (AHA), and the Bob Woodruff Foundation.

[148] The estimated payment updates in real-time and helps bidders understand the affordable monthly cost of a vehicle during the lively and fast-moving auctions.

[149] In early 2022, Arizona governor Doug Ducey signed a law into effect allowing for the temporary removal of older vehicle identification numbers (VINs), making repairs and restoration easier.

After the car sold for $300,000, owner David Clabuesch accused Barrett-Jackson of ending the auctioneering prematurely, resulting in a lower-than-expected sale price.